By: Titus Oise, Benin.
One of the foremost human rights organizations in Nigeria, the Talakawa Parliament, has frowned seriously at the total electricity blackout in Edo State and some of its neighbouring states for more than 48 hours and still counting, urging the state governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo to immediately bring back Ossiomo Power Company to rescue the state from darkness.
Talakawa Parliament which has its headquarters in Benin City, Edo State, in a terse statement in Benin City, blamed the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), for plunging the state into total darkness due to the ongoing industrial action declared on Monday by the staff of the company.
Recall that the BEDC staff affiliated to the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), completely , and totally shutdown the operations of the company on Monday.
According to the statement endorsed by its(Talakawa Parliament)Spiritual Leader, Marxist Kola Edokpayi, called on Governor Monday Okpebholo to allow Ossiomo Power Company to restart its electricity business in the state without further delay.
Ossiomo Power Company before it was forcefully and criminally shutdown by non state actors at Ologbo in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo State, was operating a 24/7 electricity supply to the people of Edo State and beyond.
Those non- state actors allegedly have the backing of the state government, and the reported hesitation or outright refusal of the state government and the the security agencies to call them to order leaves much to be desired.They are said to have forcefully seized Ossiomo Power Company gas station and continued to vandalize the company’s equipment unchecked.
According to the Talakawa Parliament, Edo State government must “discuss with Ossiomo Power Company Ltd to provide an alternative electricity supply to the people. Edo remains the heartbeat of the nation, and certainly must not be the heartbeat of darkness”.
The group however, urged the management of BEDC to resolve its dispute with members of the NUEE and to restore electricity within 72 hours.
“Failure to achieve a satisfactory resolution within this period will compel our organization to mobilize citizens vertically and horizontally for mass peaceful protest tagged “BEDC MUST GO”, the human rights group warned.
